


The Battle with the Heart Isn't Easily Won

by DemonicPresence, driver_picks_the_music_1967



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Middle School, Alternate Universe - No Hunting, Alternate Universe - World War II, Breakup, College, Cute, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Growing Up Together, Heartbreak, Love Story, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mental Illness, Mild Language, Mild Smut, Non-Hunting, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sadness, Schizophrenia, WWII, World War II, finding each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 05:32:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9108628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonicPresence/pseuds/DemonicPresence, https://archiveofourown.org/users/driver_picks_the_music_1967/pseuds/driver_picks_the_music_1967
Summary: Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts





	1. Prologue

It is often written about in books. Beneath the shade of a tree is where magic happens. Animals find shelter. The tree itself grows stronger with each rain. The earth beneath it is made rich with its nutrients. A romance blossoms as the couple carves their initials into the tree’s strong trunk, therefore marking their eternal love. But here, beneath this oak tree in the year 1923, a friendship would bloom so strong that not time, distance, nor worldly rivalries could break its bonds.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some would say it was odd for a young boy of maybe six or seven to be walking the streets of his neighborhood alone, but for this black haired, blue-eyed Boy Scout, it wasn’t unusual. He loved exploring and looking at new plants and flowers as he escaped the mayhem from his house. He lived with his mom and seven brothers and sisters, so any silence that he could find was a blessing. He walked along the edges of his neighborhood, following a small trail, until he saw the outline of a shady tree, and watched as a small figure stumbled over to it.

There was an air of silence that seemed to surround the tree, creating a place of solace and calm away from reality. A young boy, no older than 6, stumbled over to the tree. He was sniffling, and rubbing at his eyes as he reached the tall trunk. He leaned against it, his small fingers scratching at the peeling bark before he decided to crouch down and sit in the crook of the roots that swelled up from the ground. The boy pulled at his faded white shirt, his plaid shirt open over it. His clothes were obviously worn in, full of rips and tears and hastily sewn patches here and there. His messy brown hair falls over his face a little as his shoulders shake. For all the world, he looks the picture of dejection, someone locked inside their own world of sadness as the pleasant day carried on around him.

It seemed he would have stayed that way until nightfall, curled in on himself, but his little bubble of self-loathing was popped by a shadow joining that of the tree’s he was under. With a hiccup, he glanced up to meet the blue eyes of a boy, around his his age by the looks of it and yet slightly shorter, watching him with a curious, yet gentle stare.  
     
“Why are you crying?” the smaller boy asked, taking a careful step forward, eyeing the boy as he looked up with watery green eyes. The first boy sniffled and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.

“My Dad yelled at me.”

The short answer wasn’t enough for the boy, and he pressed forward for more. “Why?”

Before the crying boy could respond, he nestled down in the tree and sat very close to the boy as he wiped his nose on his sleeve again.

“I was with my little brother, and he fell down the stairs. I’m a bad brother. Sammy got hurt,” he admitted softly, hanging his head in shame. The second boy was silent for a moment, before he responded.

“Did you want him to?”

“.... No...”

“Did you help him?”

“Yeah! I ran and I held him and I got him juice. Then I got Dad.”

“Then you’re not a bad brother,” the second boy said matter-of-factly. This caused his companion to blink.

“I’m not?”

“Nope! Hey, want some candy? My Mom tells me I need to share with friends, and you’re my friend now.”

The crying boy blinked once, “Your... friend? But I don’t even know your name.”

The other boy smiled, “My name is Castiel. I’m six.”

With another sniffle, the boy caught his breath and responded, “I’m Dean. I’m six too!” Both boys sat beneath the tree, sharing the candy bar provided by Castiel. Only a few minutes of silence passed before Castiel turned to Dean, and eager expression etched on his round face.

“We should meet here every Wednesday. Under this tree. It’ll be our place!”

Dean smiled, and nodded, a simple answer that meant his word.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

It became like a ritual.  Every Wednesday from that day, Dean and Castiel would meet under the tree. There they played together, waited for the school bus together when they started school, and even taught each other new things they learned from other kids in those days. Of course this meant maybe a bad word here and there, or some gossip about a teacher or another student. Their adventures never ceased in the place they had first met. 

In eighth grade, they shared a math class. This happened to be the class of the main teacher they gossiped about, Mr. Pilsner, an older man who looked like a cross between Jack Carson and Porter Hall. Castiel was better at math than Dean was, but they still often became bored and passed notes during class, to Mr. Pilsner’s dismay, which caused empty threats of Dean and Cas being sent to the Principal's office. 

The boys also shared gym class. Dean excelled more than Castiel did, but Castiel had problems during the mandatory games of dodgeball.

 

Today, Dean and Cas were on the same team, and furiously dodging the red rubber balls being pelted at them. 

Castiel was unfortunately on some of the opposite team’s hit lists, so Dean often felt it was his place to defend his friend.

“CAS! LOOK OUT!” Dean screamed, just as he saw the ball fly and pummel Castiel to the floor. 

Cas fell flat backwards, the ball hitting him square in the eye, and Dean rushed over to him.  
He reached out a hand to help Castiel up and once Castiel was stable, Dean turned around, fire in his eyes as he pinpointed the culprit. 

“What the hell was that?!” Dean spat, stalking up to the boy. 

“Hey, it’s just the game! We got him out!” The boy responded, staring Dean right back. 

“That wasn’t fair! You can’t just target him.” Dean spat, sparing a look at Castiel taking a breath a few steps away from them.

“What do you care? It’s not as if he’s your boyfriend or something.” The boy ogled, and by this time, Dean had had enough.

Dean took a moment before tightening his fist and bringing it right down, hitting the boy square in the jaw. 

The whole gym class stopped and everyone was silent before the gym coach could be heard, “WINCHESTER. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE. NOW.”

With a solemn, but proud look back at Castiel, Dean headed down the hallway.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The boys rode the bus back, Castiel’s eye slowly bruising with more black and blue each second as Dean looked at him. 

“I’m sorry. I should have been there to defend you.”

Castiel shook his head, “It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”

They were silent for the rest of the way, until they made it back to the bus stop and walked back to their normal hangout underneath their tree. 

“You know, that black eye kind of looks good on you,” Dean mentioned, looking at Cas as he leaned against the tree trunk. 

Castiel laughed, “Yeah, right. You’re just trying to suck up because I got hit and you didn’t.”

Dean rubbed the back of his neck, “Well, yeah. I do feel bad.” 

Castiel was silent before looking up at Dean. And really looked up at him. The sunlight bounced off his bright green eyes and illuminated the sharp planes of his face, making Cas’ heart skip a beat. 

“Hey. Don’t feel so bad. At least you only got suspended for three days,” Cas teased. Dean laughed at that, and turned to look at Castiel, who was still as Dean reached up to touch his face. He brushed his fingers over the swollen skin around Castiel’s eye and took just a step closer, admiring the smooth lines of Castiel’s young face. 

Castiel didn’t move, and instead watched as Dean moved ever closer. 

“I’m sorry about what happened.” Dean whispered again. 

“Don’t be,” Castiel whispered, before grabbing Dean by the collar of his shirt and kissing him.  
The kiss was sloppy, but sweet as Dean responded to Castiel’s advances. Cas pulled back, breathless before looking Dean in the eye. 

He seemed sheepish before asking, “Was that okay?” he mumbled shyly.

Dean smiled, “That was perfect.” And he kissed him again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

High School passed in a flurry, and soon senior year was upon both Dean and Castiel. They had most of their classes together this year, but they spent most of them passing notes, and exchanging hidden glances between each other.

Castiel rolled his eyes at the boring lecture being given by their physics teacher as he reached behind him and passed a piece of paper to Dean.

Dean smirked and took the paper, opening it carefully so as to not make too much noise and read the scribbled writing. 

Normal Spot. After class.

Dean smiled to himself and tucked the piece of paper into his pocket. He flicked his eyes up to the clock. 

23 minutes until the end of class. He could make it. 

And sure enough, 23 minutes later, Dean had Castiel pinned up against the door in the janitor’s closet at the end of the hall.

“You’ve gotten much better at this,” Dean mumbled against Castiel as he kissed him. 

“I’ve had my practice.,” Castiel smiled and kissed Dean back. 

A loud ringing noise interrupted them both and they sprung back from each other. 

“Dammit,” Cas mumbled, turning to open the door. 

Dean grabbed his arm, “We can be late, you know.” 

Cas sighed, “But I have history.” 

Dean laughed, “You and history class, I may never understand. Besides, we can make our own history in here.” 

Castiel was silent, but Dean pulled him back in for a heavy kiss, “Just another minute. Please?”

This time, Castiel didn’t argue.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

Seasons change, and the years pass. Like the roots of their tree reaching into the ground, anchoring it, so Dean and Castiel became anchored in each other. In the year 1935, amongst the height of the 30’s, Dean and Castiel were off to college for the first time at Campbell University, north of their childhood homes in Georgia.

 

“This seems nice,” Dean huffed. He threw his duffle bag to the ground and looked around as Castiel shuffled in behind him.

Castiel added, “I mean it’s small, but hey, close quarters with you isn’t so bad.”

The small dorm room was furnished with two beds on each side of the room and a small table between them against the wall. There was one closet and a small sink as well, but the bathrooms were shared with the rest of the floor.

Dean laughed, “Close quarters with you is never bad.” 

He turned towards his roommate, and now current boyfriend as they settled their things on the floor. 

Castiel smiled and stepped towards Dean, “You know... we kind of have a place to ourselves now.”

Dean reached out to Castiel and pulled him closer by the collar of his shirt. “I think you’re right.”

He went in for a kiss, but was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. 

“Ugh.” Dean sighed, and broke away just as the door opened. 

A redheaded girl peeked through just as she opened the door, “Hey guys!”

Dean smiled as he opened the door farther and welcomed the girl inside. “Hey there.”

“Hey. Just wanted to welcome you! My name is Charlie! I live down the hall,” she said cheerily.

The boys greeted her and agreed to join the welcoming party that night if they felt up to it. 

“See you later!” She chimed, before leaving. 

“Bye!” Castiel and Dean said in unison. 

The door clicked behind her and Dean grabbed Castiel, pulling him in for a real kiss this time. 

“These next few years are going to be the best.” Castiel mumbled against Dean. 

“Let’s start now, by making our first memory here.” Dean said, breaking from Castiel and bending down to retrieve something from his duffle bag. 

Dean pulled out a small square picture frame and hung it on the wall near the door. The picture was of the two of them, still young, hugging each other beneath their favorite tree. It was a special moment, marking the time when they had become friends. And marking the beginning of their love story. 

Castiel stared at it for a few moments, a small smile creeping across his face.

“What? You don’t like it?” Dean questioned, a pang tugging at his heart. 

Castiel obliged, “I love it. It’s perfect.” Dean’s smile at his words was breathtaking.

The boys spent the day decorating the room, and unpacking their belongings.

The moonlight soon streamed in and illuminated the shadows as they passed over the room. As night descended upon them, soon the boys were finally comfortable. 

“Hey, what do you say we break in this bed of yours?” Dean teased, looking up at Castiel with those golden green eyes.

The question seemed to make Castiel uncomfortable, “What do you mean?” 

Dean smiled and then took a step towards Cas, “I think you know exactly what it means.” And before Castiel could respond, Dean had his hands on Castiel’s waist and tugged his shirt over his head. 

“Dean… I.. We've.. never done this…” his words were muffled over Dean's mouth on his, and he was hesitant to respond to Dean's advances. Dean stopped for a moment, placing his calloused hand on Castiel's bare chest and felt for a moment his fast beating heart. 

“You're nervous?” Dean asked, locking eye contact with the blue eyes that stared back at him. 

“Well yeah…” Castiel let out a breath and broke eye contact, his heart slowly calming down.

“We don't have to, if you don't want to,” Dean mused, tracing his finger down Castiel’s cheek. 

“I do, Dean. I just…” he broke off, not sure what he wanted to say. 

“We can take it slow. If you want.”

Castiel looked back and his eyes lit up the blue that always ignited dean's heart. This time, Castiel responded and pulled at Dean’s shirt, but he was too slow and Dean kissed him, distracting him from his task before he could get any farther. “We have to be careful, if anyone finds us, we’ll get in trouble,” Castiel mused as Dean’s hands traced patterns over his back. 

“You worry too much.” Dean responded, tugging at Castiel’s belt and throwing it to the floor. Castiel took control and finally tugged Dean’s shirt off, throwing it aside as he pulled Dean back to him and kissed his jaw, then his mouth. Dean smiled and gripped Castiel’s shoulders, pulling him around and pushing Castiel onto the rickety mattress. Castiel landed, breathless, his heart beating rapidly as dean lay over him and met his mouth with his. Dean was eager, but pulled himself back and let cas take control as he rolled to the side and pulled Castiel on top of him. Cas smiled and dipped his head, pressing butterfly kisses to Dean’s lips in the heat of their small little room. Dean’s heart flickered, and his breath caught as Castiel kissed him.

It was like nothing else he'd ever known before. And he wanted this moment to last forever.

 

Later, they were resting, Castiel’s bare back against Dean’s chest as Dean traced circles over Castiel’s back. Dean rested his head in the crook of Castiel’s neck and shoulder and relaxed as Castiel spoke to him. “You know, a lot of things are going to happen in these next few years.”

“Yeah. What do you mean?” Dean asked. 

“I just… want to make sure we won’t ever grow too much apart. You know?”

Dean shifted, and sat up a bit so that Castiel could turn and look up at him, “Cas. I love you. Nothing will ever change that. I promise.” 

“I love you too, Dean. I just wish we could stay like this. Together. Forever.” 

Dean relaxed back down and wrapped his arms around Castiel. “Don’t worry, Cas. I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here. I’ll always be right here.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

The boys had plenty of adventures during their years in college, but there was one night, sophomore year, that was a particularly fond memory for both of them. The night was brisk, and the moon was bright as it shone through the window of Dean and Castiel’s bedroom. Dean grumbled in his sleep and tossed and turned a few times, before he gave up and opened his eyes. His stomach rumbled loudly in the quiet of the night and it was then that he realized what had woken him. He was starving.  
He stumbled out of bed and tiptoed over to Castiel’s sleeping form.

“Cas.” He whispered, rubbing his shoulder gently. Castiel didn’t budge. “Cas…” Dean began to shake him awake, and this time Castiel groaned in his sleep. 

“Someone better be dying,” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. 

“Yeah, it’s my stomach. Cas, come on,”  Dean bent down to kiss Castiel’s cheek, and this time Castiel opened his eyes and met Dean’s gaze. 

“What’s up, Dean?” He asked, sitting up. The blankets fell away and Dean was momentarily distracted by Castiel’s shirtless figure.  
He turned slightly to stretch a bit and Dean caught a glimpse of the black lines that created a pattern on Castiel’s upper back and arms. The tattoo he’d gotten when he’d moved away to college was a beautiful image of angel wings that spanned from the middle of his shoulder blades, down his arms.

When Dean had asked about it, Castiel said it made him feel like he was the guardian angel of those he truly loved. Dean hadn’t asked any further questions after that.

“Dean?” Castiel’s voice broke Dean’s reverie and he snapped back to reality. 

“What?”

Cas blinked, “Why did you wake me?”

Dean swallowed, “I’m starving.”

“You can’t wait until morning?” Castiel mumbled as he yawned. Dean couldn’t help but let a smile edge at his lips as he stepped closer and placed a heavy kiss to Castiel’s lips. He pulled back after a second, too soon for Cas who seemed a little out of it despite Dean’s many attempts to wake him up now. 

“Come on! Let’s make it an adventure!” Dean pleaded. His stomach growled in agreement, and this time Castiel couldn’t help but agree with a smile. 

“Okay. But you’re buying.” 

Dean smiled and grabbed Castiel’s hand, leading him out the door and down the stairs into the dark of the night.

The air was cool and crisp as they walked down the street to their favorite spot, Ellen’s Diner. The door jingled merrily as the boys walked in and took their seats in their favorite booth, a quiet little spot in the back of the diner, where nobody save the waitresses, bothered them, and they watched people go about their lives. As they sat down, a blonde girl came over to them, flashing a grin.

“Hey, boys. My name’s Jo, what can I get you this time of night?” she asked warmly.

“I'll take a bacon cheeseburger and fries, extra onions,” Dean replied immediately. Cas took a moment to glance over the menu before looking up.

“I'll have a cheeseburger and fries, with a small chocolate milkshake, please,” he said, handing her the menus.

“Comin’ right up!” With that, Jo headed off to the kitchen, leaving the boys to themselves. Dean grinned at Cas, leaning back in his seat.

“It feels good to be away from home,” Dean said, looking around the near-empty diner. He noticed a group of rowdy football players from their school in a booth a little ways away, but he paid them no mind.

“It does,” Cas agreed, “But don’t you miss your dad and Sam?”

“Yeah, I do sometimes. Sammy writes me nearly every week. I gotta remember to write him back. What about you? Do you miss your family?”

“Occasionally. Zachariah and Raphael were pains, though. I do miss Anna sometimes. But mostly, I don’t miss the noise. It’s quieter here. I have time, space, and things to myself. Especially, I have you to myself,” Cas said with a grin, causing Dean’s face to tint slightly.

“Here you go, boys!” Jo interrupted them, placing their food down on the table in front of them. “Can I get y’all anything else?”

“No, this looks great, thank you,” Dean said enthusiastically, digging into his burger even before Jo walked away. She laughed and went back to the bar area to chat with the owner, Ellen. 

Cas looked back to Dean as he sipped on his milkshake. “This really has been the best time of my life, Dean.” 

Dean looked up from his burger and finished what he was eating before reaching out to place his hand on Castiel’s. “You changed my life, Cas," he said. "I'll always thank you for that.” 

Castiel blushed and stuck a second straw into his milkshake. “Here. Taste. It's delicious!” he said, pushing it towards Dean a little. Dean gratefully accepted and sipped the smooth chocolate shake, leaning forward as cas did the same.  
“Mmmm. Perfect. Just what I needed,” he mused happily. Castiel chuckled and brushed Dean’s arm with his hand from across the table. 

“You know we could make this a tradition. Once a month we have a midnight diner date,” Cas said softly. Dean smiled in agreement. 

A shadow loomed over both boys and a gruffly voice chimed in, “Only if I'm invited.” 

Both Dean and Cas look up to three figures standing at their table; the jocks Dean had seen earlier. Cas scoffed and leaned back. “Azazel. Alastair. Oh, and their goons, too. What brings you all here this time of night?”

“I could ask the same of you two,” came Alastair’s response, eyeing Dean up and down and grinning nastily at Castiel. “We were just enjoying our night here, when we saw a most... disturbing display, at this table.”

“Yeah, well why don’t you mind your own damn business,” Dean snapped, smacking Azazel’s hand away as he reached for some of the leftover food on their plates, “Hands off!”

“Why?” Azazel sneered back, “It’s not like you two were gonna eat it, what with you eye-fucking each other. Can’t even get a room; you have to subject the rest of the world to that garbage.”

“The only garbage the world is being subjected to right now is your face.” Castiel snapped. At his remark, azazel jumped into action and wrenched castiel from his seat, throwing him to the floor. Dean rose and knocked Alastair aside as he moved to attack Azazel, but Alastair was quicker and had Dean’s arm pinned back in a cinch. 

“Fuck you!” Dean screamed as he struggled and watched Castiel get up and stand tall in front of the other man.  Castiel’s lip had split and begun to bleed and his blue eyes burned with a furious fire. A swift punch to Azazel’s jaw knocked him a step backwards, and Dean wrenched free of Alistair’s grip and delivered another blow to Azazel, knocking him unconscious to the ground. Alastair shoved Dean forward, knocking him into the table and leaving him breathless. 

With Dean indisposed for the moment, Cas took a turn to go after Alastair, but he was too slow and Alastair wrenched him in a grip and threw him to the floor. This caused Cas to be knocked into the last of the football players, knocking the athlete’s head into the table and rendering him unconscious, with Cas’ fall cushioned by the boy’s body.

Dean caught his breath and punched Alistair down, though he received a swift punch to the eye from the other boy before he got another blow in and soon it was just Castiel and Dean left amongst the three football players who had dared to piss them off. 

“Cas, you okay?” Dean asked, his eye slowly swelling, blurring his vision.

“Get out!!” A shrill female voice yelled. It was Ellen. Dean shuddered and grabbed Castiel’s hand, both of them running for the door and out into the starry night.  The boys ran about fifty feet before Dean stopped short and bent over laughing. 

“Dean?” Cas grabbed his shoulder to pull him face to face. Dean’s mouth was pulled into a wide grin. 

“That was hilarious. We were awesome in there!” he whooped. Cas let out a laugh of his own before reaching out to brush his fingers over Dean’s swollen eye. 

“Now you’re the one with the black eye,”  Cas grinned.

Dean chuckled, “Eh, it makes me look tougher.” 

“Well, you're not wrong,” Castiel responded, pulling him in for a soft kiss, “Looks like we can't come back here for a while.” 

Dean winked, “Nah, but one day. Come on. It's late, we've gotta get going.” He took castiel’s hand in his and led him back to the campus, the stars shining brightly above them. 

~~~~~

“Cas, what the hell is this?!” Dean nearly shouted, waving an open envelope and letter in the air for Castiel to see as he was packing some of his belongings into a box. Cas glanced up momentarily and then back down to what he was doing.

“Well, Dean, it looks like a letter. What do you think it is?” Cas responded dryly. Scowling, Dean shook the letter fully open in front of him and began to read:

_Dear Castiel Novak,_

_We are delighted to inform you of your acceptance to the Università degli Studi di Padova, or the University of Padova in Padova, Italy. We look forward to you joining our prestigious school to study theology. You will be joining a University that has been in existence since 1222 ---_

At this point Dean lowered the letter to glare at Cas again, “Italy? Freakin’ Italy? Why didn’t you tell me??”

“Because I expected this to happen,” Cas said, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

“This?” 

“This. What you’re doing, right now. Never fails.”

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fucking clue me in! When you said going away to school, I thought you meant to New York or something, not to the Vatican City! Seriously?”

“I’m not going to the Vatican. I’m going to Padova,” Cas said, finishing up the last box in his dorm room and standing up. “It’s our last year of college, can we not fight about this? We’ve been here for four years, and we have got about four days left until moveout.”

“You promised me you’d never fucking leave, Cas! You’re a liar, and I’ll be damned if you go to Italy!” Dean snarled, throwing the letter down and storming to his his side of the room.  
He grabbed his keys and leather jacket, and left the dorm room, slamming the door as he left. The force of the door impacted the frame, and rattled the wall hard enough for an old picture to come crashing down, shattering the glass. Sighing dejectedly, Cas walked over and picked up the picture, gazing at it.

It was the tree. The tree that sheltered so many memories, so many good times. There was a picture of young Dean and Cas, smiling broadly, hugging each other tightly under the tree’s broad canopy. The glass had broken, a large crack separating the happy image, right down the middle of their embrace.

Ripping them apart.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To say Dean was furious was a lie. In truth, his anger was a mask. A carefully crafted mask that did well to shield his real emotion: hurt. And Dean was hurt. “How could he do this to me?” his inner voice barraged him. “Fucking Italy? There’s no way I can get there. He’ll... He’ll be gone. We won’t be together anymore, screw how dangerous it is. Ugh, what am I gonna do?”

At this point Dean was walking aimlessly through the campus, trying to figure out what was going on, what it all meant. He hadn’t even decided what he wanted to do with his life yet; sure, he had ideas, but most of those involved finding a job somewhere in town, buying a house, maybe asking Cas to room with him again... and now it all seemed that it was going to hell.

Sure, he knew Castiel loved history, anthropology, and general theological studies. He knew that Cas was smart enough to go anywhere in the world and study whatever he wanted. “Including,” Dean thought ruefully, “Italy.”

But where did that leave Dean? He was scared, and didn’t know what to do. What he’d do without Cas. He sat down on a bench and groaned, resting his head in his hands. 

Slowly, his right hand dropped and curled over his pocket. A faint crinkling of paper could be heard by anyone sitting close to him, and in the stillness around him the sound and feeling of it was near deafening.

He pulled it out. A letter he's read a thousand times over. A letter he had just worked up the nerve to tell Castiel about, moments before he had seen Cas’ own letter.

_To Mr. Dean Winchester,_

_We have noticed your outstanding performance in your work and studies relating to Law Enforcement. We are very interested in offering you a position here at our federal agency. We are looking to offer you an internship here beginning once your school term has ended. Please send us your response to the enclosed address within the month_

Dean sighed and closed his eyes, his shoulders relaxing. He knew what he had to do. Now only if he could find the nerve to do it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dean opened the door, and stepped into their dorm room, shedding his jacket and tossing it to his bed as he went. “Cas, we need to ta- What happened?”

Cas was on the floor, gingerly picking up the pieces of broken glass from the picture frame. He looked up and managed a grin at Dean, a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. “When you left, the door slammed and knocked our picture off the wall. It's fine, the glass just needs to be replaced,” he said, standing to toss the glass in a bin and set the picture and frame on the counter. “Are you alright? You were rather upset when you left.”

Guilt burned through Dean for a moment, and he sighed, “Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that…” Castiel cocked his head curiously at Dean. Wordlessly, Dean took the letter from his pocket and handed it to Cas. He watched as Cas read it, and read it again. Finally, he looks up and meets Dean’s eyes.

“You should go,” came Cas’ soft voice. Dean blinked for a second before he reacted.

“Go? What do you mean go?” Dean asked, his voice rising slightly. Cas couldn’t be telling him to get out of his life, he just couldn’t.

“You should go to D.C. It’s what you’ve wanted for years, a chance to join the FBI. You’ll do amazing there,” Cas said, smiling softly, his eyes encouraging. While Dean’s heart lightened a bit, his stomach dropped.

“But what about us?”

“What about us?”

“Don’t play stupid. Us, Cas. We promised each other we’d always be there for each other. That... we’d never leave,” Dean’s sharp voice petered out to a mumble. He swallowed hard as Cas glanced off to the side, determined not to cry in front of him.  
“You can’t just leave. We could do this together. Find a way to follow our dreams together.”

“It’s okay to go to seperate places, Dean. I’d never forget about you, not even for a second. No matter where you go, no matter how many photo frames you break-,” this Cas said with a smile, meeting his eyes, “-I’ll always be with you. I’ll always be here for you. I’ll always love you.”

At this Cas took the few steps separating them and planted a soft, sweet kiss to Dean’s lips, to which Dean melted. His arms came up and around Cas’ back, holding him, wishing he could never let him go. After what seemed like minutes masquerading as eons, Cas drew back from Dean’s embrace and smiled. “It’s all gonna be okay, Dean. I promise.”

“Yeah,” was all Dean could manage, smiling a little bit for the first time all day, “You’re gonna kick ass in Italy, I know it.”

“You’re going to be the best FBI Agent on the force. You were always pretending to be a Fed when we were younger. You pulled off a suit quite well, too, if I may say so,” Cas grinned.

“Well I’d hope you’d say so, half the reason I wore them was for you,” Dean laughed, plopping down on his bed. “I should really start packing soon, myself. Maybe after we get some food.”

“What about that diner we like, down the street?” Cas asked. Dean’s eyes lit up.

“The one with that really good cherry pie?”

“Of course.”

“YES!” Dean shouted, hopping to his feet, “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

Dean reached for his leather jacket once more, watching as Castiel slipped on an old trench coat he was fond of. Castiel walked over to the picture containing the old photo of them and picked it up out of the frame, grinning at it softly. “Hey, Cas, don’t worry about it, I’ll replace the glass la-” Dean’s words were cut off by the sharp tearing of paper as Cas ripped the photo down the middle, tearing the two hugging boys away from each other. “CAS?! WHAT THE FUCK?”

Cas said nothing at first, walking over and taking Dean’s hand, pressing one half of the photo into Dean’s open palm. Dean glanced down at it, in a state of shock. Seven-year-old Cas’ smiling, goofy face looked back at him, not a care in the world as the disembodied arms of his friend and partner were wrapped around him. He looked up at Cas, searching for an answer.

“Here. So we always carry a piece of each other with us, wherever we go. And when we see each other again, we’re going to put the two halves in a new frame. When they’re together again, so shall we be,” Cas said, leaning forward to kiss Dean’s cheek as he slid his half of the picture into his coat pocket. “Now let’s go get some of that pie.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

It had been eight years since that day. Castiel and Dean had gone their separate ways. Dean went off to become of the best FBI agents in the force. And Castiel had gone off to Italy to study and missionary in some of the poorer towns in the country. 

Except for a few letters back and forth when they first left, they hadn't spoken much since. It was hard, knowing the one they loved was out there, and possibly succeeding and becoming too busy for the other. 

Dean found himself in a bar after work now, looking at his half of the picture that protruded out of his wallet. 

_“Here. So we can always carry a piece of each other with us. Wherever we go.”_ The memory of Castiel’s voice rung through his head and he reached to take another swig of his drink to calm himself from the old memory. 

With every passing day he missed Castiel more and more. He couldn't remember the amount of times he'd sat down at home. A pen in hand, and a blank piece of paper in front of him. Willing him to write. But his mind taunted him. 

Castiel had left him to follow his own dreams. He was afraid of Castiel receiving the letter. Throwing it away without a care because he had made a better life without Dean. And didn't need him anymore. 

His thoughts clouded his mind until a sharp noise jolted him from his reverie and he looked up to the source of the noise: a small television that sat on the bar for all the customers to see.  
Two large words blasted upon the screen with a sentence below it that made Dean’s heart drop to his stomach. 

_BREAKING NEWS.  
Italy has joined the Axis Powers in the war against the United States and the Allied Powers._

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Castiel had finished up working for the day. He sat now, looking over some papers he needed to file and others he needed to write. 

He glanced up and his eye caught the picture he had kept on his desk no matter what. It was the picture of Dean. Every day, his heart ached more when he saw it. He missed Dean more than he could say. 

He had sat down to write letters over the years but he always had that sinking voice in the back of his mind saying that Dean had moved on. So he tried to do the same.  
_“BREAKING NEWS! Italy has joined the Axis Powers. The war against the United States and the Allied powers continues to ravage our fair countryside-”_

The radio announcer’s voice tore through Castiel. He sat motionless. Helpless. And his only thought was of one person. Someone he couldn't even get to. 

_“There is speculation of a draft. But further news will come at a later time.”_  
Castiel’s heart raced. If this all true, maybe this was their fate to see each other again.

Dean sprung out of his chair, turning to the bartender. “This true?” Dean questioned. 

“Yeah. Happened this morning. Said they might be drafting, too,” the bartender replied, casually wiping the bar down.

Dean couldn't believe it. His mind spun in circles, not sure what to think. But maybe this way he could finally see Castiel again. Maybe this was their way back to each other. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The day Dean had received his draft letter in the mail was still stuck fresh in his mind. He wasn’t living with Sam, or his father anymore after college. Instead, he’d pursued his career in the FBI before we was forced to get drafted into the Army. 

8 weeks of bootcamp and training later, and he was finally on the field. Now, they were getting briefed on Operation Husky, which meant they were going to have to invade the city of Sicily, in Italy.  
Dean wasn’t worried so much about the brutality of war, he’d seen a lot of shit in the FBI so far, but he was more itching to see Castiel again if it was possible. He still hadn’t sent any letters, for fear of being rejected, so each day they got closer to their destination in Italy sent nervous tremors through his heart. 

Would Castiel remember him? 

Or stiff him?

Or would he fall into his arms like old times and never let go?

Of course Dean preferred the latter, but his heart told him it would probably be his worst fear come to life. Either way, he couldn’t worry about that now. 

Italy was soon approaching and he had to ready himself for the impending battle. 

 

Castiel stood on the battlefield, his blue eyes ablaze, but his mind elsewhere. His heart still ached for Dean. His mind thundered with a hundred thoughts of the boy he left to follow his dream. 

If he did see him, would he even remember him?

Would he run to him like those cliché romance movies?

Or would he turn a blind eye because Castiel left him?

“Lieutenant. Time to go.” 

Castiel turned to the voice and followed him to the main tent. “Coming, sir,” he replied swiftly. More pressing matters were at hand, and Castiel’s thoughts of Dean would have to wait.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

It was a rather cold evening near the Spanish beach in April of 1943. The Allies were warring with Axis Powers in North Africa, but tonight held what seemed to be a turning point for the Germans. A body had been discovered in the waters off the beach, that of a British Royal Marine pilot. As the German agents pulled his body up, they found an attaché case manacled to his wrist. Cracking it open, they discovered secret plans of the Allied forces, detailing an attack on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, off the western coast of Italy. German leaders prepared for an invasion on the islands.

An invasion that struck elsewhere.

In actuality, the body that was found was that of a homeless man, Adam Milligan, who had committed suicide not long ago. He had been discovered, and dressed as an officer, false plans attached to the body.

The real invasion hit Sicily, Italy, in July of 1943.

Dean was a member of Operation Husky, an invasion force of 150,000 troops, 3,000 ships, and 4,000 aircraft, coming in by air and sea. He stood on the shore with his fellow squad mates, anxiously waiting for their orders to join the battle as all the troops arrived. He walked to the edge of the water, gently rubbing a torn photo in his hand. He looks down at Cas’s grinning face, smiling softly at the pang of both warmth and pain in his chest. He turned, and looked out upon the battlefield, his heart storming wildly in his chest. 

“Alright troops. The call has come in. Attention!” All the troops stood at attention, weapons in hand.

“Attack!” 

And beyond Dean’s control, he followed the men, under direct orders from his commander, and dove headfirst into the bloody battlefield below.

 

Castiel looked out upon the battlefield, his eyes catching movement as a large group hurried to the Italians’ location. 

“Ready men?” The general called out. Castiel straightened up, a reflex built upon himself through training. He nodded as the general walked by and tried to breathe and steady his thudding heart. 

“Attack!” At the single syllable, the men sprang into action and headed down into the battlefield.

Under the cover of a fierce storm, Allied troops advanced. The Axis and Allied Powers clashed at the northwestern shore of Sicily, and their forces met in battle.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The battle was louder than Dean had ever expected. At the moment, he was taking cover behind a large boulder and trying to decipher the orders being yelled by his fellow men. 

“Fire!!!” 

“Hold steady!!” 

“Cover me!!!” 

All familiar phrases, yet it seemed they went in through one ear and out the other. The gunshots sounded in time with Dean’s thudding heart and he tried to keep himself steady. He spotted a safer place a little ways away and immediately turned to the man crouching beside him. 

“Cover me.” He demanded. The man nodded a response and changed his position so that he could protect Dean as he ran for another area to take cover. Dean ran as fast as he could, dodging any bullet he thought was going to come his way and diving towards the next boulder he saw, with a much better vantage point. 

It wasn’t until he saw the man not 20 feet from him that made him feel like his heart was really going to explode.

 

Castiel ran with his men, formation perfect as they found places to take cover and defend their position. He found a small dip in the ground that allowed him a hidden place, but gave him a good vantage point apart from the others. 

Perfect.

He hunkered down, and aimed his gun, his mind focused, but his heart thudding with fear and anxiety. He saw movement from his right eye and saw the soldier duck behind a boulder. There was something about the way he moved that struck Castiel as familiar and his heart thudded harder inside his chest. He turned in the direction that the man had run and kept his eye trained on the area. 

Could it be?

His mind was probably playing tricks on him. Too much hope had driven his mind mad. 

A small explosion to his left startled him and he rolled closer to the boulder, his jacket ripping open down his back as it caught on a piece of metal. Castiel steadied himself and lay flat on his stomach, his upper back exposed as he tried to hide himself from anyone that could spot him. 

 

Dean watched as the man rolled away from the explosion and his jacket caught on something sharp and ripped it open. Smooth black lines showed the outline of a tattoo that Dean would remember anywhere. And he knew he had finally found his angel again. Dean stood up, risking himself being spotted as he tried to figure out a way to get to Castiel. “CAS!” he screamed. 

The man didn’t respond. But he was sure he knew who it was. 

 

Castiel heard his name screamed from beside him over the crashing sounds of the battlefield, and he turned, his eyes meeting the green ones that haunted his memories ever since the day he left.  
Dean. 

 

The battlefield sounds died out around Dean as he focused on the man that now lay not 15 feet from him. The chiseled jaw. The angel wing tattoo that reminded him he always had an angel at his side.  
Those unmistakeable blue eyes. It was like a lighter had lit the rope at the end of his heart like that of a bomb. Each beat of his heart like the ticking that led up to that fateful explosion. 

_Tick._

Dean breathed, reaching, trying to step forward. 

_Tick._

Each movement around him slowed as he focused. He couldn’t make it. Something was happening around him and he couldn’t get a grip. Something rumbled around him and he took another step. 

_Tick._

His heart sizzled as if it would implode within him. “CAS!” he tried again. The man turned his way and his heart seemed to shudder to a stop. 

_Boom._

The world exploded around him, and everything he thought he knew turned black.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

Castiel woke slowly, his head pounding and his heart doing the same. Something in his shoulder emitted a piercing pain and he shifted with a groan to try to survey his surroundings. He was trapped beneath rubble and saw a small stream of daylight across from him, hinting to a possible exit. He tried to reach out to it, but something was blocking his reach. He looked down and his eye caught the outline of something beside him. Softer than a rock, but too big to move. 

The unknown object groaned and Castiel realized it was a human person. He nudged the person again, and this time he sputtered and his eyes fluttered open, revealing a familiar shade of green that nearly struck Castiel directly through his heart. 

 

Dean woke up slowly. Every part of him ached as he groaned and struggled to move against whatever was holding him hostage. His eyes fluttered open and he looked up, realizing someone else was beside him, and not just anyone, but someone with a blue-eyed curious gaze that he had ached for for 8 long years. “Cas?” he croaked, trying to sit up. 

“Dean?” he responded, reaching out a hand to steady Dean as he slowly sat up in the small cavern where they had been blown to. For a small moment, they sat, silence encompassing them as they looked at each other. 

“I missed you so much,” Castiel broke the silence and Dean reached out to take his hand. 

“I missed you too.” Castiel’s eyes were shining, tears threatening to spill over as he traced over the past eight years without Dean. Dean inched closer to him until he was able to sit just next to Cas. He reached out and brushed his fingers over the hard lines of Castiel’s face, until his calloused fingers traced Castiel’s soft lips, slowing the moment down between them.

He leaned forward and Castiel didn’t retreat, but rather pulled Dean towards him and their lips met in a soft kiss, that turned into one of eagerness and ache. Castiel’s mouth on Dean’s felt like a breath of fresh air that he hadn’t been able to catch since the man had left. And Castiel relaxed against Dean, allowing himself to feel again for the first time since he’d gone.

Dean pulled back first and for a second, a pang of anger traced his heart. “Why didn’t you ever write to me?” The words spilled out before he could stop them. 

Castiel looked stricken, but he took a moment before answering, “I didn’t want to bother you, Dean. I thought maybe you’d moved on. I left you. I was afraid you had found someone that would really stay.” 

Dean’s expression changed from one of hurt to anger in a split second, and he bit his tongue to control the words he wanted to say, but shouldn’t. _Fuck you. You left me. Abandoned me. Broke my heart and you think I just moved on? I loved you more than I could ever love anyone. And you just left. How could you?_

But instead, he spoke these words, biting off each one, “Didn’t want to bother me?! Cas all I did was think about how you left and found someone better. A better life. A better relationship. I would have at least liked to know you cared after you left. It tore me apart!” Dean finished, breathless, tears threatening to spill over as his throat felt it was stuffed with cotton. 

Castiel was silent, “Dean, I made a promise to you. I said I would love you forever. And I kept that promise. And I will always keep that promise. I’m sorry.”

Castiel hung his head in shame and Dean’s heart held a pang of regret at his words. Here he was, in the middle of an actual war, tearing his love apart because he’d left to follow his dream. No wonder his dad had left so often, he’d pushed away everyone he loved, and now he was here, doing the same thing once again. 

He reached out, and placed two fingers beneath Castiel’s chin, lifting his head high so that their eyes met. “I forgive you, Cas. I do. We both left to follow our own paths and for all these years I let myself believe that you left because I held you back.”

Castiel blinked, “Dean.” A smile cracked the edge of his lips, “You made me stronger. You always have. You always will. You blame yourself for too many things. You need to remember that you deserve so much.”

This time tears finally spilled from Dean’s eyes and he leaned forward and embrace Castiel in a kiss harsh, but passionate. This cave became their place where their love story continued, the cracks and fissures in their hearts filled, their faith restored and their love renewed.

Another bomb echoed outside the cavern and they both shuddered. Dean pulled back from Castiel and the man grimaced in pain, gripped his shoulder as he steadied himself. 

“Cas. You’re hurt!” Castiel looked and saw that something had pierced his shoulder. “I have to take it out.” Dean insisted, surveying the wound. 

Castiel sucked in a breath, “Just… be careful.”

Dean adjusted his grip on the object lodged in Castiel’s shoulder and steadied himself. “Okay. Ready?”  Castiel squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. “One... Two... Three!” Dean yanked the piece of shrapnel from Castiel’s shoulder and with a muffled groan, Castiel handled the pain as Dean through the piece aside. 

Dean ripped a piece of his jacket off to tie it around Castiel’s shoulder and render the wound stable so they could get help. “How are we going… to get … out of here?” Castiel asked, breathing heavily from the pain.

“Don’t worry. I have a plan,” Dean stated. “We have to get out through that hole. And we’re not on anyone’s real side, so if an Italian catches us, I’ll be your prisoner. And vice versa. It gives us a way to protect the other. The we’ll be able to get out together.”

Castiel grinned, “Always the smart one.” 

Dean laughed, “You haven’t changed so much yourself.”

“Okay. After the next explosion, we go,” Dean announced. 

“Alright, boss,” Castiel responded with a smile, “But one thing before we go.”

“What’s that?” Dean turned back to Castiel. Cas pulled him into another deep kiss. A kiss that meant love and happiness and that he would never leave the man he loved again. No matter what. Not war, not miles and countries and oceans apart. They would always find their way back to each other. Dean brushed his lips over Castiel’s, gently reminding him of those old times when they would lazily talk and cuddle and dream about the future. 

And soon it was time to move. Castiel pulled back from Dean and with a smile they both moved, making their way out into the sunlight of the battlefield. Together. Once again. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dean pulled Castiel along, his eyes adjusting to the sunlight as Castiel stumbled behind him.  
A few blockades allowed them coverage, but the sounds of gunshots and bombs were loud around them and Dean couldn’t tell which areas were safe anymore. He tugged Castiel along with him, dodging open areas and ducking behind safe ones faster than he could detect them. 

For a moment, they stopped and took a breath, but the solace soon turned to danger when a shadow loomed over them both. 

“GET DOWN, SOLDIER!”

Dean looked up and saw a similar uniform to his, a Captain’s ranking on his shoulders, meaning his plan would entail that Castiel was his prisoner. 

“It’s okay, sir. This man is my prisoner,” Dean spoke carefully as he stood, and left Castiel on the ground beside him.

“And where are you taking him? You know we are under strict orders by General Patton that we would take no prisoners here.” 

_Fuck. How had he forgotten that?_

Dean’s mind spun. “I know, sir. But this man claims to have knowledge of plans on the Italian side. He could be useful to us,” he said, his voice almost pleading.

The Captain pondered for a moment before snapping back to Dean. “We already have men that have said the same. We don’t need him.”

Dean nodded, “No worries. I’ll let him go back to his own side, then.” 

The soldier’s jaw hardened, “Shoot him.” 

Dean sputtered, “What?” 

“Shoot him.”

Dean hesitated, “I don’t think that’s neces-”

“UNLESS YOU ARE UNDERCOVER, I WILL SHOOT YOU BOTH. NOW DO AS I SAY AND SHOOT HIM BEFORE I HAVE YOU REPORTED. _TRAITOR._ ”

Dean’s heart pounded in his ears, “I’m not a traitor.”

“Then. Shoot. Him.” The soldier ground out.

Dean swallowed, hard. And removed his handgun from the holster on his thigh. He cocked the gun and lowered it, pointing it directly at Castiel’s head. Castiel looked up to him, those big blue eyes speaking so clearly to Dean’s heart. 

_Go on. Save yourself._

But he couldn’t live without his angel. 

And then there was a seed of a thought that spurred him on. Like the devil on his shoulder. 

_He’s the one who left you. What if he does it again? Go on. Shoot him. End it now and you’ll never worry about losing him again._

Dean’s mind spun. The gun was cold and hard in his hands. Sweat beaded upon his forehead as the soldier’s voice echoed in his ears. 

_Shoot him._

Dean blinked, meeting the eyes of his angel, wanting to trade himself for Castiel, wishing he could go back to the moments just before with his mouth on Castiel’s in the dark cave that reminded him of their tree back home. 

_Shoot him._

Something near Dean made him flinch and his finger tightened on the trigger of his gun. 

_Click. Boom._

And for the second time that day, his world turned upside down.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

Castiel looked up as the gunshot sounded and watched Dean’s body fall, and thud to the ground. Cas jumped up, fire in his eyes as he locked gazes with the soldier who had shot the man demanding Dean kill him, and had shot Dean himself. 

“Come on! Let’s go!” The soldier shouted in Italian. 

Castiel responded, “I will follow. I’ll search him for ammo.”

The soldier nodded. “Make it fast. We have to move,” he said, and left Castiel alone with Dean. 

“Dammit, Dean.” Castiel mumbled as he shook Dean awake. Dean’s eyes fluttered open and met Castiel’s, his mouth turning into a lopsided grin as he realized he probably wasn’t going to make it.  
Castiel pressed his hands over the bleeding wound in Dean’s chest, his uniform reddening ever quicker. 

“You’re going to be fine, Dean. Hang on!”

Dean coughed, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. “Cas. Cas, come here.” Castiel was still trying to put pressure on Dean’s wound, but it was no use.

“What, Dean? Let me help you. We’ll hide out and wait and if you make it through the night I can get you back to your tent.”

Dean coughed again, and blood splattered onto Castiel’s shirt collar. “It’s...no...use…” Dean ground out, wincing against the pressure Castiel was putting on him. 

Dean reached up and pulled Castiel towards him, their mouths now millimeters apart.  Dean nudged Castiel’s nose, silently asking for a kiss, and Castiel responded with a gentle kiss, and moving to kiss Dean’s cheeks and forehead, before looking back down and meeting Dean’s gaze.

“I love you,” he whispered, “I will not let you die here.” He ground out, shaking Dean to keep him focused. 

Dean’s vision blurred and he was slowly losing consciousness. The only thing keeping him steady was the knowledge that Castiel was still with him. “Cas. Cas I need to tell you something.”

Castiel blinked before he realized what Dean was about to do. “No. No. Hold on. You can tell me later when you’re patched up and healing.”

Dean shook his head, “Castiel. Cas. I’ve always loved you. I love you still.” His voice was thick as he reached out and took the man’s hand, bringing him closer so that he could see those big blue eyes. “And I will love you forever.”

The words broke Castiel’s heart and he looked up to make sure they were still alone. When he looked back to comfort Dean, his green eyes had closed and his hand had gone slack. Castiel’s heart shuddered and he leaned down, checking for any sign of life. 

But there was none. 

Dean was gone. 

Castiel laid down beside the man who had changed his life, and was the only one who had truly seen him as the angel he believed he was. 

Something fluttered out of Castiel’s torn jacket, landing next to Dean’s side. Cas blinked. It was his half of the picture, with Dean’s happy face, smiling up at him. Numb from shock and pain, he watched the ever-widening pool of Dean’s blood inch closer and closer to the scrap of paper across the dirt, soaking it completely in a dark crimson.

He picked it up, his mind churning with those memories of him and Dean under that tree.

Meeting Dean for the first time.

Their adventures.

Their first kiss.

Opening their acceptance letters to college together.

And now those memories were stained with blood.

He really was alone now. The angel without a boy to protect. The angel with no one else to love.


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine your OTP meeting when they were young. They grow up together and fall in love. Then, right after graduation, they have a huge fight because person A needs to move to a different country. Person A goes and leaves person B. Years later, a war breaks out between the countries person A and B live in, and they both join the military. They end up meeting on the battlefield and have to choose between killing the one they love, or betraying their country.
> 
> From the Tumblr blog OTPPrompts

Castiel lived the next 20 years by himself, working at small jobs here and there and watching the world around him change and grow. He grew older, never really staying in the same place and never having any true relationships. Nothing would ever match what he'd had with Dean Winchester. He'd left that fateful heart wrenching battle with a severe case of PTSD and years of baggage he’d never leave behind. Each day was a struggle and everyday his heart ached more for the love he'd lost.

 

“Do you think it should be time to let go?” The man in front of Castiel looked at him with curious eyes.

“What?” His mind had wandered and he wasn't paying attention to the question from his therapist. 

“Do you think now is the time to let go?” Castiel let the question spin around his mind for a minute before he leveled his gaze with the man’s opposite him. “Let go?! How dare you even suggest something like that. I suppose you'll say I should ‘move on’ next. Or ‘start a new life’. This is my life. And I like it that way.” 

The therapist humphed and cas let his mind wander again. Something in his mind clicked and he realized there was another presence in the room again. 

He had a small secret. Something he hasn't told anybody. Especially not the man sitting in front of him. 

He saw Dean sometimes. Spoke to him. Spent time with him. 

He knew it was probably an illusion, but the first time it happened Dean had insisted that they touch. And it had felt so real that Castiel hoped it would continue. And it did. 

For years now it had.

This Dean within his mind would brush his hand and kiss his cheek and Castiel would be flooded with the memories from so long ago. He would close his eyes. And breathe in. And pretend like Dean was still with him. It felt so real. And for just a little while, his heart seemed to feel whole once more. 

He hoped he’d never have to let go.

“....It just seems that you’re holding onto something that you can't get back. Does that make sense?” The man’s voice droned on and Castiel turned his attention back to him. 

“Yeah. Time’s up. See you next week,” he said curtly. Castiel stood from his chair and exited the room, heading to his car and back to his small apartment.

 

That night he was making dinner and he felt a strong presence wrap arms around his waist.

“Hey there, stranger.” Dean kissed Castiel’s cheek. Castiel offered a weak smile and stirred the vegetables in the pan with a mindless effort. “Why does your therapist want you to forget me? There's nothing wrong with keeping me alive.” 

Cas looked at him sideways, “This isn't normal, you know. You're dead.” 

Dean smirked, “But I don't have to be.” He turned back and gathered Castiel into a warm hug. “You can't forget about me. Or our memories together.” He let Castiel go and sat in the living room chair, watching Castiel stir his dinner.  
Castiel hummed as he cooked, slightly ignoring Dean’s prods into Castiel’s thoughts, though logically, he already knew them. 

“I don't want to forget about you. I just wish I could get you back. For real.” 

Dean chuckled, “I'm right here. Real as it'll get.” 

Castiel ignored him now, and when he went to snap back with a clever remark, Dean was gone. The apartment was quiet again and Castiel was alone.

 

The next few weeks made Castiel truly think about his life. He was holding himself back from pursuing things he truly loved. Dean wouldn't want that. 

And he realized what he needed to do.

 

Castiel traveled to Arlington National Cemetery, the resting place of veterans and heroes who gave their lives in America's service to protect its freedom, his mind begging him to leave this alone.

“I need to keep living my life,” Castiel stated, as his mind’s rendition of Dean eyeing him from the passenger seat. 

“You can still do that with me like this! You know that!” Dean said heatedly. Castiel remained silent and pulled into the cemetery. 

It took him an hour to locate the gravestone that marked the name of the man he could barely speak of anymore. The letters were etched into the stone, just like they were carved into Castiel’s heart. 

Dean Winchester. 

The two words bore into him harder than he thought they would, and his eyes began to tear up as he took the flowers in his hands and began to lay them down. 

“You sure you want to do this?” Dean’s voice in Castiel’s mind was sharp.

“I have to. I'm doing this because I love you.” Castiel reached into his coat pocket, and his fingers caught upon a rough piece of paper that he always kept with him. 

It was the bloodstained picture that he held onto as his last memory the battlefield. That young boy with a smile on his face bright and happy.

For the first time in years, Castiel felt his lips pull back into a smile. He knelt down, placing the flowers next to the gravestone and when he looked up, he saw the figure in his mind’s eye smiling down at him. He knew he had to say goodbye. 

“I know this picture will be one when we're together again.” Castiel took his piece of the photo and buried it deep beside headstone. 

“I love you Dean Winchester. I love you now and forever. And nothing. Not even death can keep us apart.”

_**THE END** _


End file.
